Once Noah finally drifted off, Gabriel lowered him into the crib. He rocked it gently for a few monts, ensuring the boy was deep in sleep, before nodding to Ashna to take over. He reached over to flick off the main lights, leaving only the soft, amber glow of a low lamp to fill the room.
Katelyn and Sage followed Gabriel out into the quiet hallway.
"You’re surprisingly good with him," Sage remarked, keeping his voice low. "But how did everything go? We heard snippets about Alie and the others... Is Ophelia truly finished for good?"
"Yes, she’s gone. It’s over," Gabriel said, leaning montarily against the wall as the exhaustion finally started to show. "Everything was moving according to plan, but the mont the binding was complete, Ophelia used the last of her black magic to throw Alie. The impact was violent enough to knock her unconscious, but the doctors say she’s stable. She just needs to rest and recover from the shock."
"Nick was injured as well, though he’s out of danger now," Gabriel added. "And Mona is still recovering; the binding took almost every bit of energy she had."
"Why don’t you rest for a while, Brother?" Katelyn suggested, her heart aching at the sight of his slumped shoulders and the exhaustion etched into his face. "You’ve done enough for one night."
"I have to return to the hospital," Gabriel replied imdiately, though he didn’t move toward the door.
"Mom and Dad are already there, and Alie’s parents too," Katelyn pressed gently, stepping into his path. "If Noah wakes up and realizes you’re gone again, he’ll be inconsolable. We’d have to bring him to the hospital in the middle of the night, and nobody wants that. I think Alie would want you here, keeping him safe."
"She’s right. Stay," Sage added firmly. "What if you collapse from burnout?"
Gabriel hesitated. Every fiber of his being ached to be by Alie’s side, to be the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes and to hear her voice again. But he looked back toward the door where his son lay. The thought of dragging a sleeping infant back into the cold night and a hospital room felt wrong.
"Gabriel, Alie is awake! She wants to talk to you," Karn rushed to his side from the opposite direction with the phone in his hand.
Gabriel was quick to take the device from him and brought it to his ear.
"Gabriel," Alie’s voice ca from the other side, which brought a comfort to his heart which he felt had gone for this short ti.
"Alie," Gabriel whispered back. "I’m on my way to the hospital. I-I ca to check on Noah, thinking he might be missing us. And yes, he was." He didn’t know when his eyes turned teary and even so escaped from the corners of his eyes.
Katelyn, Sage and Karn were surprised seeing Gabriel getting this emotional. But then, they understood it was the deep love and care Gabriel carried for his small family. At the sa ti, all of this must have been too overwhelming for him.
"Gabriel, don’t cry," Alie said softly, her voice gaining a bit more strength. "And please, stay at the palace. Stay with Noah. You don’t have to rush back here. I’m actually being discharged, I’ll be coming ho shortly with my parents and Flora. Casio is already finishing up the paperwork."
"Oh. You’re coming ho..." Gabriel breathed, a wave of profound relief washing over him, finally settling the storm in his chest.
"Yes. The doctor thinks I’m stable enough and there’s nothing to worry about," she reassured him. "Besides, we have the royal physicians at the palace if I need anything. I’ll be ho before you know it."
"Hmm. I’ll be waiting for you," Gabriel replied.
He lingered for a second after the line went silent, holding the phone as if it still carried her presence, before finally lowering it and handing it back to Karn.
"Alie is coming ho. The doctor says she’s fine," Gabriel announced, a genuine smile finally breaking through his exhaustion as he wiped the remaining tears from his eyes.
"That’s wonderful news!" Katelyn exclaid, her face lighting up with joy.
"Let’s get back inside, then," Sage said, clapping a supportive arm around Gabriel’s shoulder and guiding him back toward the warmth of the chambers.
As they walked, Karn turned his attention to Katelyn. "How are you holding up?" he inquired gently. "I an, your injuries... How are they healing?"
Katelyn paused for a mont, her hand reaching up to graze her face. "They’re almost gone. Even the cut on my cheek is starting to disappear," she said, feeling the smooth skin where the wound had been.
"You did an incredible job that day, Princess," Karn stated with respect. "I think you’ve finally tapped into that hidden strength you were always so worried about."
"I have," Katelyn answered, her eyes sparkling with a new-found confidence. "I can teleport now, just like my brothers."
"Do you have anything else to say to ?" Katelyn asked, arching her eyebrows with a playful yet pointed look.
"No," Karn replied, shaking his head with a small, graceful smile.
"I thought you might say you regret losing ," she remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now that I’ve found such an incredible man like Sage to be my mate, and I’ve grown stronger and I don’t whine anymore."
Karn’s expression softened into one of genuine humility. "Your Highness, the thought of being with you never even crossed my mind, so I can’t say I regret losing sothing I never sought. But," he paused, his gaze steady, "I truly am sorry for the things I said. I was a jerk to you, and those remarks were beneath us both. I apologize for the hurt I caused."
He bowed his head slightly in respect. "I wish you nothing but the best for your future. I know you’re going to be a truly great Luna for the Nightshade Pack."
"Thank you," Katelyn said. "Now, let’s go inside."
~~~~
My other story:
Rejected First, Mated Later: Taken By The Cruel Alpha
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